You knew the car wreck was coming, and you only had seconds to react. Instinctively, you threw your hands up to brace yourself during impact and protect your face.
So, you ended up hurting your hands or wrists instead. Common hand and wrist injuries include:
- Deep cuts and lacerations, which can lead to nerve damage, scar tissue that limits the range of movement you have in your hands or fingers and weakness.
- Fractures and dislocations, which can cause painful swelling, numbness, weakness, fatigue, swelling and discoloration in your hands.
- Soft tissue injuries, puncture wounds and amputations, especially if a finger or hand is crushed in the wreck, which can leave you with deformities and other problems.
- Infections, high-pressure injuries and burns, caused by problems healing, cuts from broken glass, chemical and friction burns and more.
There’s almost no job that doesn’t require the use of your hands. Even if you work in the tech field or in an office, your hands are constantly in motion. Any kind of pain or limitation can put you out of work and your career on hold.
Because hands and wrists are so delicate and the nerves involved are so important, it can take multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation, physical therapy and rest to get back to normal — if you ever do. Hand and wrist injuries can leave you with burning or tingling sensations, constant swelling, pain, a weakened grip and a loss of fine motor skills.
If you injured your hands or wrists in a motor vehicle accident, find out how you can be compensated for your medical bills, lost wages and more.